President to visit LV, Reid says

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama, a frequent visitor to Nevada while he was on the campaign trail, will return to Las Vegas in the coming months, Sen. Harry Reid said Wednesday.

Reid, D-Nev., said Obama has accepted an invitation to visit this spring or early summer.

Obama "during the campaign was in Nevada 20 times," the Senate majority leader said. This would be his first trip to the state as president.

A Reid spokesman said no date has been set.

Reid made the disclosure in a Senate speech in which he tried to put out a fire over Obama's remarks Monday about Las Vegas.

At a news conference, Obama scolded companies that planned to hold meetings or events in Las Vegas after receiving federal bailout funds. The comments set off a furor in Nevada, as resort operators and officials such as Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said they were hurting business.

Reid said Obama's criticism was aimed at the use of "taxpayer funds for junkets," not Las Vegas as the destination.

Reid said he spoke with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel about the remarks.